Diode matrix



Dec. 1, 1959 E. J. SCHUBE'RT' 2,915,686

DIODE MATRIX Filed Aug. 28, 1958 IO INVENTOR.

ERNEST J. SCHUBERT AGENT United States Patent 2,915,686 DIODE MATRIX Ernest J. Schubert, 'Berwyn, Pa., assignor to Burroughs Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application August 28, 1958, Serial No. 757,743 6 Claims. (Cl. 317-234) The invention hereinafter described and claimed relates to diode matrices for use as switching networks or permanent storage devices, e.g., as decoders or encoders for processing information in digital systems.

Diode matrices are extensively used in data processing equipment. They are manufactured by wiring individual diodes into desired networks and therefore are large and bulky. For this reason much effort has been spent in searching for matrices of minimum size.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an efiicient and inexpensive diode matrix of extremely small and compact form affording far more diodes in a given area than heretofore thought possible.

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification when taken with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a diode matrix constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan View on a greatly enlarged scale of a matrix in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of Fig. 2.

In accordance with the invention and first briefly described the novel diode matrix comprises a wire mesh structure formed with two different types of wires, one of which forms the warp Wires while the other forms the woof wires of the mesh. Either the warp or the woof wires are treated in such a way as to form a thin rectifying layer on the surface thereof, at least at the crossover points of the other wires, the latter being of the usual conductor type. Certain of the crossover points of the warp and woof wires are bonded together to form diode junctions, while at other crossover points where no rectifying effect is desired, the wires are insulated from each other.

More specifically, and with reference to the various figures of the drawings illustrating a preferred form of the invention, and first to Fig. 1 thereof, the numeral designates a diode matrix formed in accordance with the concepts of the invention. In Fig. 2, it is seen that the matrix is formed by a plurality of warp and woof conductor wires 11 and 12 respectively, interlaced to form a wire mesh structure similar to window screening.

The core 13 of the warp wires 11, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4 is formed of a suitable conductive material, such as nickel or aluminum, on which is deposited by any suitable well-known method, such as evaporation, a thin layer 14 of a semi-conductor. If selenium is used, then after being deposited on the wire, the selenium is treated, as by heat of suflicient temperature, to form a rectifying layer on the wire. While in the present embodiment, and for convenience in manufacture, it is contemplated that the whole length of the wire be coated with the semi-conductive layer, it should be understood that this coating may be placed on the warp wires only in the areas where they contact the woof wires 12. Any suitable electrically conductive metal, such as soft silver, or copper may be used for the woof wires.

2,915,686 Patented Dec. 1, 1959 To form the desired matrix pattern, as seen in Fig. 2, certain of the warp wires are provided with a coating of insulating material 15 at selected cross-over points, to electrically insulate those particular crossover points from the woof wires. The other crossover points are bonded together in any suitable manner as indicated at 16, such as by dip soldering or spraying with a metal of low melting point through a mask, thus to form the desired rectifying or diode junctions. In this, the preferred form of the invention, the wire mesh assembly is then cast or potted in a suitable insulating material such as epoxy resin, which is later hardened, thus to hermetically house the matrix in a solid insulating block 17. As shown in Fig. l, the ends of the warp and woof Wires extend beyond the housing to provide means for connecting the matrix to associated circuitry.

While the drawings show the matrix on an enlarged scale, a particular advantage of this structure is its ability to provide a matrix of extremely small and compact construction. To illustrate, the warp and woof wires may be of extremely small diameter, six or eight mils, for example, aud eight of each to the inch, making a total of 64 crossover points per inch, much more than any matrix structure heretofore known.

It is now evident from the above that the invention provides a novel diode matrix of extremely compact structure which is easy and simple to manufacture at relatively small cost.

I claim:

1. A diode matrix structure comprising a plurality of warp wires, a plurality of woof wires interlaced with said warp wires to form a wire mesh with multiple crossover points, a rectifying layer deposited on one of said plurality of wires at least at certain of said crossover points where said warp and woof wires are contacting thus to form current rectifying junctures at such a crossover point, and means for insulating the wires from each other at the other of said crossover points.

2. A diode matrix in accordance with claim 1 and further including means bonding together the wires at the rectifying crossover points.

3. A diode matrix according to claim 2 wherein said wire mesh is potted in a manner hermetically sealing said matrix yet leaving the ends of the wires exposed for connection of the matrix to associated circuitry.

4. A diode matrix comprising a first plurality of closely I spaced parallel conductors, a thin rectifying coating on said Wires, a second plurality of closely spaced parallel conductors interlaced with said first plurality of conductors substantially at right angles thereto thus to form a line wire mesh having multiple crossover points, means connecting said crossing wires in current rectifying relationship at certain of said crossover points to form an information processing diode matrix, and means to insulate the others of said crossover points from such rectifying relationship.

5. A construction according to claim 4 and further including means to house said wire mesh with the ends of said wires extending outside of said housing for ready connection to associated circuitry.

6. A construction in accordance with claim 5 wherein said housing is provided by a solid mass of electrically insulating material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,821,691 Andre et a1. Jan. 28, 1958 2,879,458 Schubert Mar. 24, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 202,082 Australia June 6, 1956 

